Hello! Welcome to BiBulletin Board!I have just finished an MTheol at the University of St. Andrews. My degree was half Theology and half Biblical Studies. I focused my studies on women in the New Testament and Social Scientific Approaches to the New Testament. I also took modules in the Gospels of Matthew & John, Letters of Peter, James & Jude, Parables of Jesus, Biblical Hermeneutics, Biblical Greek, World Religions and Jesus and the Gospels. My dissertation was an exploration into the roles of Elizabeth, Mary and Anna in Luke's infancy narrative and their relationships with the men with whom they are paired.
My parents did not raise me in any religion but encouraged me to explore a variety of belief systems. When I was in high school I became a Christian and became very involved in my church. In my first year at university I was questioned as to why I believed what I believed. I was not able to explain why I believed certain doctrine and I realised much of it had been spoon fed to me. I had accepted it blindly because I trusted my Christian role models. The downfall of this trust was that I never took the opportunity to truly contemplate what I was believing and make up my own mind. By the end of my second year at university I could no longer call myself a Christian. It was very difficult to admit this to myself and harder to confess this to my Christian friends. I was afraid they would judge me and our relationship would change. I expected they would no longer see me as 'one of them.' In their eyes I would have been led astray rather than paving the path for myself. For the most part, my fears were not realised. I'm sure my Christian friends are concerned for my soul but they are still there for me, loving and supportive.
Since, I have looked into other religions and spiritual paths. I have become most interested in Taoism, Buddhism, Yogic philosophy and mysticism. My research into ancient Mediterranean culture has opened my eyes to the relativity of worldviews, making me question my own. As a result I have spun into a state of agnosticism. I no longer feel lost but instead content in the search; a spiritual adventure of sorts. I invite you to join me in my academic pursuit of understanding the Bible better and the spiritual pursuit of letting what we discover enlighten our lives.
xoxo
Chamonix
